FARM TOOLS, IMPLEMENTS AND MACHINES

WHAT IS A TOOL?

It is a small, simple hand operated devise which is used by a person to perform work more easily. E.g.
spade, digging fork, rake, pick, shovel, watering can, etc.

Diagrams:

Tools and their uses

Tool Use (s)

Spade Digging & scooping soil
Shovel Loading materials from the ground
Digging fork Deep cultivation on plots
Hoe Digging, weeding, making ridges & mounds
Axe Felling trees
Mattock Cutting & removing roots of young trees & shrubs & also for digging
Pickaxe Breaking up hard soil & removal large tree stumps
Rake Levelling the soil on plots
Hand fork Shallow cultivation between plants on plots
Trowel Transplanting seedlings
Watering can Applying water to the soil
Secateurs Pruning and preparing cuttings
Garden shears Harvesting fruits & pruning
Measuring tape Confirming measurements/dimensions of fields, gardens & plots
Sickle Harvesting grass & fodder & cereal crops
Slasher Harvesting grass & fodder crops and for land clearing
Garden line Straightening ridges & borders of fields
Knapsack sprayer Applying chemicals to crops

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WHAT IS AN IMPLEMENT?

It is a device that is larger than a tool, but smaller than a machine that is used to carry out work but
requires more power than human power, hence is pulled by either animals or a tractor. E.g. ploughs,
harrows, planters, cultivators, etc...

Diagrams:

Disc harrow

Implements and their uses

Implement Use (s)

Ploughs Tilling/ploughing the soil on fields
Harrows Levelling the soil on fields
Planter Sowing seeds in rows
Combined planter & fertilizer applicator Sows seeds & applies fertilizer at the same time
Plough planter Tills the soil and sows seeds at the same time
Cultivators Turning the soil between the rows of growing crops
(shallow cultivation on fields)

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WHAT IS A MACHINE?

It is a device with complex parts that does work by using mechanical power such as an engine or electric
motor. E.g. tractor, combine harvester, milking machine, mower etc.......

Diagrams:

Tractor combine harvester milking machine

Machines and their uses

Machine Use (s)

Tractor
Combine harvester
Milking machine
Mower

Differences between tools, implements and machines

Tools Implements Machines

Are small, simple and light Are larger & heavier than tools but Are large, complex and heavy
smaller than machines
Operated by hand (human Need either animal power or a Use mechanical power
power) tractor to operate
Take longer to do work Are quicker than tools, especially Are faster when performing
when pulled by a tractor work
Are cheaper to buy Are more expensive than tools but Are expensive to buy
cheaper than machines

CARE OF TOOLS, IMPLEMENTS AND MACHINES

• Do not use a tool to do things for which it is not designed. For example, use a fork and not a rake
to break up large clods of soil, because the delicate prongs of the rake may get damaged.
• Return tools to their proper storage place after use. If you don’t do this, you could easily lose
them.
• Store tools, implements & machines in a roofed storeroom/shed. Do not leave them outside,
because if they get wet, they might rust.

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• Apply grease/oil on moving parts to avoid friction hence reducing wear & tear.
• Paint implements and tools to avoid rusting.
• Tighten loose bolts on implements such as ploughs, cultivators and harrows to avoid damage to
the implement.
• Ask skilled personnel to service machines according to the manufacturer’s recommendations &
avoid amateurs’ jobs.
• Replace serviceable & worn out parts of implements and machines on time to avoid further
damage.
• Make sure all electric cables are well insulated. Exposed electric cables often cause costly fire
damage to buildings & machinery.
• Make sure that people who use machines have been trained. Incorrect use can cause damage.

STORAGE OF FARM TOOLS, IMPLEMENTS AND MACHINES

• Keep them in a safe & secure place where they cannot be easily stolen or damaged by the
effects of the weather.
• Hand tools are hung on the wall or tool racks (not left lying on the floor of the storage area) and
clearly labelled, implements & machines occupy the floor space.
• Use labels to identify spare parts & indicating where they are kept. In some cases, smaller items
can be placed so that they can easily be found.

MECHANIZATION
This means the use of machines in the production, processing and storage of farm produce.
Advantages of mechanization
• It is time saving, farm operations such as cultivation, harrowing, harvesting, can be done
quickly & large areas covered in a short period of time.
• It is less laborious, so reduces drudgery (hard work) in farm work.
• It protects animals from doing hard work on the farm e.g. horses, cattle, etc..

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 • It helps in earning income, a farmer can use his/her machines to do work for other
farmers & charge them a fee.
• Machines do not get tired and do work more efficiently, but animals do.
• A farmer can produce much more food with machines.
•

Disadvantages of mechanization

• It leads to unemployment since it is labour saving.

• Running and maintenance costs for machines are high.
• Mechanical skill & knowledge are required to maintain & operate machines.
• Heavy machines can destroy soil structure if they are not used properly.
• Machines can widen the gap between rich & poor farmers.
• Pollution of the environment: poisonous gases such as carbon monoxide released by some
machines may pollute the environment.

PROBLEMS CAUSED BY TOOLS, IMPLEMENTS & MACHINES ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND

THEIR SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS

Problem Solution
Too much movement of machines on the farm Reduce movement of machines to avoid making the soil
makes the compact/hard; this affects compact.
drainage, aeration & root penetration and also Where the soil is compact, it can be loosened to enable
reduces underground water. water to sink easily and be used by plants.
Destroyed soil structure leads to poor plant Use farm implements & machines when the soil is not
growth on the farm. too wet/too dry.
During ploughing & planting machines & When ploughing, farmers should leave a border of
implements loosen the soil & destroy the natural vegetation around ploughed fields to reduce soil
plants that grow naturally in the area, making erosion.
it easy for erosion to take place.
The smoke, oil and scrap metal from tools, Regular servicing of machines & correct disposal of
implements & machines can pollute the used oil & scrap metal can control pollution.
environment, pollution negatively affects the
health of plants & animals in the environment.
Farm implements can spread weeds and plant Clean implements thoroughly before using them in a new
diseases. Seeds of weeds & pathogens cling to place.
the blades of the implement.
Farm tools & implements destroy the animals Look out for the burrows & nests of soil animals. If the
that live under the soil by uncovering their animals are accidentally uncovered, they must be
habitat, killing them & destroying their eggs. covered again.
These organisms are important in decomposing
organic matter & burrowers improve aeration.